Ballot Title Setting Board 2017-2018

The title as designated and fixed by the Board is as follows:

An amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning congressional redistricting, and, in connection therewith, establishing a commission and transferring the state legislature’s responsibility to divide the state into congressional districts to the commission; establishing factors for the commission to use in drawing districts, including prioritization of shared federal public policy concerns and consideration of whether districts are drawn for the purpose of protecting an incumbent legislator or a political party; specifying the qualifications and methods of appointment for the 12 commissioners, 4 of whom must be registered with the state’s largest political party, 4 of whom must be registered with the state’s second largest political party, and 4 of whom must not be registered with any political party; allowing any Colorado resident to propose maps or present comments to the commission; requiring at least 8 of 12 commissioners to approve a redistricting map, but giving the 4 commissioners who are not registered with any political party the collective power to reject any map; mandating disclosure, within 72 hours, of paid lobbying of the commission; and providing for judicial review of redistricting maps, including approval of 1 map from maps submitted by individual commissioners if 8 of 12 commissioners have not approved a map.

The ballot title and submission clause as designated and fixed by the Board is as follows:

Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning congressional redistricting, and, in connection therewith, establishing a commission and transferring the state legislature’s responsibility to divide the state into congressional districts to the commission; establishing factors for the commission to use in drawing districts, including prioritization of shared federal public policy concerns and consideration of whether districts are drawn for the purpose of protecting an incumbent legislator or a political party; specifying the qualifications and methods of appointment for the 12 commissioners, 4 of whom must be registered with the state’s largest political party, 4 of whom must be registered with the state’s second largest political party, and 4 of whom must not be registered with any political party; allowing any Colorado resident to propose maps or present comments to the commission; requiring at least 8 of 12 commissioners to approve a redistricting map, but giving the 4 commissioners who are not registered with any political party the collective power to reject any map; mandating disclosure, within 72 hours, of paid lobbying of the commission; and providing for judicial review of redistricting maps, including approval of 1 map from maps submitted by individual commissioners if 8 of 12 commissioners have not approved a map?

Hearing January 17, 2018

Single subject approved.The Board determined that the proposed initiative does not only repeal in whole or in part a provision of the state constitution. The requirement for approval by fifty-five percent of the votes cast applies to this initiative.Staff draft amended; titles set. Hearing adjourned 11:54 AM.

Rehearing February 7, 2018

Motion for Rehearing granted only to the extent that the Board made changes to the titles.Hearing adjourned 10:10 AM.

* Unofficially captioned “Congressional Redistricting” by legislative staff for tracking purposes. This caption is not part of the titles set by the Board.